


Vocation

by woodironbone



Series: Escape from Angelville [3]
Category: Preacher (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bondage, F/M, Femdom, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Multi, POV Tulip O'Hare, Pegging, Polyamory, Present Tense, Sex Is Fun, Strap-Ons, The Gang Finds a Sex Shop, for which i will not apologize, good times were had by all, honestly this one is pretty straightforward, there is an extended dildo shopping scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-10 23:56:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16464761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/woodironbone/pseuds/woodironbone
Summary: A direct follow-up to Concordance. A sex shop is patronized and promises of pegging are kept. Cassidy discovers novelty dildos, Tulip discovers a new talent, Jesse... well, Jesse discovers himself. Very mild spoilers for season three.





	Vocation

**Author's Note:**

> Y'all I am so sorry this took me so damn long. I needed a bit of a break and then life/writer's block happened and the break turned into a longer break, and then I felt bad for taking a break and the break got even LONGER and now it's like three months later, you know how it is. But I promised pegging AND I'M GONNA DELIVER PEGGING. Thanks again to [FitzKreiner](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FitzKreiner) and [salvage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/salvage) for their continued support.
> 
> I had some vague notions of writing more of this series, but after the trial of getting this one written, on the eve of NaNo and with Yuletide already underway, I don't want to make any concrete promises. We'll see what the future holds! Thank you all so much for your patience and for reading this far. <3
> 
>  
> 
> Content Notes:  
> \--very frank and frequently silly discussion of all manner of sex toys  
> \--Smut Contains: like, so much pegging, wow, and talking about pegging, and just going on a big pegging journey together. Some rough but loving sex. Also rope bondage, executed not as safely as it could be because, well, Cassidy.

 

 

†

 

“I don’t get it,” says Tulip. “If this _napkin_ is such a big deal, why didn’t we just grab it on our way out?”

“Bit late for that, I should think,” Cassidy grumbles from the backseat. He’s in a mood, and as Tulip glances into the rear-view mirror, it’s easy to see why: he’s slouched down as low as he can get, applying yet more sunscreen to the back of his neck—this has gotta be the fourth layer now. It’s a clear, bright day, and the sun’s getting to be a problem, especially as they keep angling north. She winces and checks the mile markers along the road. The last sign they passed put them about fifteen miles from some little town she’s never heard of, and they oughta be pulling up on it soon. That’ll have to do. She puts on a bit more gas.

“It’s not that simple,” says Jesse. “Anyway she has lots of these, all filed away with no labels. No way to tell which one’s mine.”

“Easy,” says Tulip with a shrug. “Find the filing cabinet. Set the whole thing on fire.”

“And just what do you think that would’ve done to me?” says Jesse. “Not to mention everyone else she’s got tucked away in there.”

She looks at him, not sure if she should believe what he’s implying, but he’s looking back and he’s dead serious. “No way,” she says.

“Wouldn’a been pretty,” he mutters, turning to look out the window.

“So what you’re sayin’ is,” says Cassidy, “this whole bloody escape venture was pointless, because any minute she can decide to stick you full of pins.”

Tulip keeps her eyes on the road, but she can see Jesse shifting in her periphery, uncomfortable with the question, or maybe with his own lack of foresight. Wouldn’t be the first time _that’s_ led them into a corner.

“It bought us time,” says Jesse eventually. “She hasn’t used it yet.”

“Didn’t buy us anything,” argues Cassidy. “It’s _her_ time to use, and she’s just bloody biding it. She knows you know what’s coming, yeah? If she’s drawing it out, it’s just to fuck with you. What the hell are we supposed to do when you start bleeding all over, huh? Drive back and ask her real nice to stop?”

“That’s not helping, Cass,” says Tulip sharply.

“He’s right, though.” Jesse’s unusually subdued, has been since their whole adventure at the hotel last night. It hasn’t been a bad thing, not necessarily. Opening himself up like this has changed him, given him a lot to chew on in very little time, and it’s bound to make him quiet. But now it smacks of something else. There’s fear in there now, and _that_ makes Tulip’s blood boil.

“Hang on,” she says, struggling to keep her anger tamped down. Not gonna do anyone any good in here. “She wants you back, right? So what’s the worst she can do? She ain’t gonna _kill_ you.”

“You don’t want me to answer that,” says Jesse, curt and cold.

“Tulip, take it from me,” says Cassidy, “knowing it won’t _kill_ you doesn’t make torture any easier to bear. Sometimes that just makes it worse. Ah— _shite_!” He hisses in pain, flinching down from the window, and the very faint smell of burning flesh wafts toward them.

“Cass—!” Jesse leans around the seat, looking him over; even from the corner of her eye, Tulip can tell he’s really concerned, and despite the circumstances, that almost provokes a smile out of her. When has Jesse ever looked after Cassidy like this?

“I don’t s’pose we could pull over any time soon,” Cassidy grits out, his hand clenched over his ear, smoke sifting through his fingers. By now he’s practically lying down across the seat.

“Workin’ on it,” says Tulip. “Hang on.” With luck there won’t be any cops on this dead stretch of road—not a great place for a speed trap anyway, nowhere to hide in these flatlands. She floors it, almost knocking Cassidy off the seat.

Jesse’s contorting himself awkwardly, struggling out of his jacket and then turning to pass it back. “Here.”

“Ooh, am I being smuggled in somewhere now?” Tulip can hear the smile in Cassidy’s voice as he takes the jacket and drapes it over himself. Muffled, he says, “Thanks, Jess.”

“You boys’re cute,” she declares, knowing full well it’ll make them both uncomfortable, and it does.

“The fuck I am,” Cassidy protests, and Jesse just looks stiffly out the window. Tulip grins.

It was easy, too easy, for them to drift away from the subject of _what now_ , what to do about Jesse and this threat looming over his head, but she can’t exactly hold any of them accountable for it. It had to be hard for Jesse to come clean about that, knowing how little he wants to be seen as weak, something to be taken care of. How badly he wants to sort through his problems all by himself. She knows exactly how he feels. She still hasn’t told them about God.

“Hey, look,” she says brightly, easing up on her speed as a gas station and a Burger King drift into view around the bend. “Civilization.”

“Out here, I doubt it,” Cassidy grunts.

“If there’s a diner, it’s civilization,” says Jesse.

“A _diner_ is your hallmark of civilization?” There’s a rustle of fabric as Cassidy lifts Jesse’s jacket up to peer out at them both. “You need to get out of the south, mate. No, no, no. You listen to me. What we need is a bloody sex shop.”

“Wh—” Jesse blurts, heroically managing to keep most of his composure. “Where the hell did _that_ come from?”

“Where the hell d’you think?”

Tulip smirks, keeping her eyes on the road. Can’t—or maybe just won’t—argue with that logic.

Jesse fidgets awkwardly in his seat. “We need to _eat_ , Cass.”

“Diner first, sex shop after,” says Tulip with a shrug. Easy. Everything has to be such a damn federal case with these two.

“Christ.” Jesse pinches the bridge of his nose, looking for all the world like someone’s put-upon dad. “You _know_ ‘round these parts it’s all gonna be backwater shit under some kinda front, right?”

“Wait, what?” Cassidy snorts. “An’ why’s that.”

“Oh, come on,” says Tulip. “What do you think this is, the 90s? They’re legal.”

“Wait—” Cassidy sits bolt upright, Jesse’s jacket hanging absurdly over his head like a nun’s habit. “ _What_?”

“This ain’t New Orleans, Tulip,” Jesse argues.

“Ain’t Alabama, either,” she counters. “Lighten up, Jesse. We’ll find one. Nobody’s enforced that shit in ages.”

“Are sex shops not legal in Alabama?” Cassidy sputters.

“Sex _toys_ aren’t legal in Alabama,” says Tulip. “Used to be lots of places, but that’s goin’ away. Although…” She smirks. “You know, I think blowjobs are still technically illegal here? Y’all broke the law last night.” She beams into the mirror, enjoying Cassidy’s utterly stricken expression. Nobody actually enforces _that_ shit either, woe to them if they even tried, but it’s not as funny if she explains it.

Cassidy stares at them both for a long moment, then sits back and says, “You know your country is desperately fucked, right?”

Well, so much for funny. Both Tulip and Jesse heave a nearly identical sigh. “We know,” they say in weary unison.

 

 

The shop can only be described as ‘quaint.’ They stand on the sidewalk, the three of them in a very odd line—the hopelessly Texan preacher with his hands on his hips, the tiny badass in a leather jacket with her arms folded and her stance cocked, and the lanky umbrella-shaded weirdo in sunglasses and a massive overcoat—regarding the storefront window, which features an utterly unabashed display of pink lingerie, colorful varieties of floggers, and some very fluffy handcuffs. The sign reads _Madame Cointreau’s Closet of Quintessential Curiosities_ in a florid cursive script.

“What is this, Harry bloody Potter?” Cassidy frowns up at the establishment in deep skepticism.

“You’re just mad ‘cause all the people _you_ asked didn’t know anything,” says Tulip.

“I asked the people you’re _supposed_ to ask. Gas station types. Truck drivers. Not the bloody diner waitress.”

“And where do you think we’re gonna find the thing _you’re_ after?” Tulip levels a challenging stare up at him. “You think any of those crusty old guys know where to buy a good strap-on?”

“Can we… please not have this conversation on the damn sidewalk,” Jesse says so quietly that it’s practically just to himself.

Tulip ignores him. “Nah. You ask the women, Cass. They always know.”

“Aye. They know where to find places like _this_ ,” says Cassidy. “D’you not think me and Jesse are gonna stick out here like a pair of bloody circus freaks?”

“Not when they see you’re with me.” Tulip gives him a lofty little smile and steps out of formation, striding up to the door with the same confidence she carries on her way to rob banks. “C’mon. This is the only kinda place I’m settin’ foot in, so get over it or you can wait in the car.”

“All right, all right.” Cassidy sighs and follows after her, leaving Jesse to reluctantly bring up the rear.

The bell on the door delicately announces their presence as they step inside, confronted immediately by décor that only strengthens the impression of quaintness. The whole interior exudes the same sort of atmosphere one might find in a particularly relaxed coffee shop, from the soothing blue of the carpet to the sunny paint job on the walls, the gentle lighting that is neither too harsh nor too dim, the array of well-tended houseplants, and the artful placement of colorfully stocked shelves and racks, arranged in a carefully asymmetrical pattern that creates almost a small maze. In the back right corner they can see the checkout counter, and along the back wall there’s a curtain covering what appears to be a fitting room. Soft music plays overhead, the sort one might hear in a spa. From the entrance, they can’t see anyone else in the shop, neither patrons nor staff.

Cassidy closes his umbrella and hooks it over his arm. “Christ, will you look at the place,” he says. “Look, I’m an open-minded guy, you know, I don’t mind the whole, er, aesthetic, whatnot. It’s quite nice and all. It’s just I’m clearly not the target audience, am I?”

“You _do_ look like you’re on the prowl for a corner to jerk off in,” Tulip concedes.

“Exactly my point.”

“Would you two _please_ ,” Jesse hisses, but that’s all he gets out before the three of them are greeted by a sight for which none of them were prepared: a tiny old white lady, Tulip would put her at somewhere between 60 and 70, hunched over and rail thin, tottering around from behind a rack of lubricants. She’s dressed in a way that makes her seem more like a fortune teller than anyone who belongs here, all flowing garments and a bright head-wrap. On seeing them, her pale, lined face lights up.

“I thought I heard the door!” she exclaims in a thick Louisiana drawl. She looks over her shoulder toward the back of the shop, and Tulip can see she’s wearing a hearing aid. “Charlene, get out here, we got guests!”

“At this hour?” comes a muffled reply. To their continued collective bewilderment, Charlene reveals herself an equally tiny and equally old black lady, plump and round and wearing a much simpler dress, yellow and decorated with little flowers, like someone’s grandma might wear to church. She emerges from the fitting room with a broom in hand, and adjusts her glasses on her nose, squinting across the shop at them. “Oh lawd, look at them all. You kids must be new in town.” She sets the broom against the checkout counter and hurries down to greet them. As she comes up beside her counterpart, looking only a little out of breath, she brushes the dust from her skirt and says, “I’m Charlene Cointreau, welcome to my establishment—and this is my partner, Miss Marie Dufresne.”

“Miss Marie,” Jesse echoes softly.

“Oh you gonna have to speak up a bit, honey, I’m a bit hard of hearing,” says Marie, tapping her hearing aid, unfazed by his rather haunted reaction. “I can’t tell you how nice it is to see some new faces around here. What can we do for y’all on this fine day?”

“I’m Cassidy,” says Cassidy helpfully. Far from being uncomfortable, now he seems delighted, practically beaming at their elderly hosts. “This is Tulip, that’s Jesse. We’re in dire need of a strap-on.”

Tulip imagines she can _hear_ the rest of Jesse’s soul exiting his body on his uneven little exhalation. She just smiles her best and most winning smile alongside Cassidy. Like him, she’s a little giddy at this turn of events, which feels at once ridiculous and ridiculously charming.

“Oh, I’ll just bet you are,” says Marie, as easy as if they were discussing the weather.

Charlene chimes in: “That accent, though! Where you from, sugar?”

Cassidy smiles sheepishly, slipping off his sunglasses and hooking them onto the front of his shirt. “Oh, here and there,” he replies. “Dublin, originally.”

Charlene nods knowingly. “Irish. You know, I thought so. Ain’t been too many places but I seen a lotta movies, an’ I have a good ear for accents. But I figure it’s always more polite to ask than to guess. Now—if y’all want to just come with me, I can show you what we got.” She steps forward to take Cassidy’s arm, and he goes along with her pliably enough, allowing her to lead him further into the store. Marie motions eagerly for Tulip and Jesse to follow before going along herself. Tulip holds off in spite of herself, instead turning her attention to Jesse, who looks hopelessly lost.

“The hell is happening,” he mutters.

“I just found the grandmas I never got to have, is what,” she says. She slides her hand into his, twining their fingers together, she hopes comfortingly. “C’mon, baby. Everything’s gonna be fine.”

“Yeah,” he whispers, though he doesn’t seem entirely convinced. He’s been through a lot in a short time, and though he’s no stranger to this kind of establishment, getting this level of a warm welcome and having Cassidy there to spill every lurid detail is probably a bit much. Tulip guides him along gently to follow the rest of the group.

“You don’t have to stick by us if you don’t wanna,” she murmurs.

“I’m fine,” he says quickly, lying like he _wants_ to be unconvincing. Tulip rolls her eyes.

Cassidy, meanwhile, is a kid in a goddamn candy store. Charlene has led him to a sizable shelf of dildos along the back of the left wall, across from the checkout, and he stands there now staring at it all with big eyes. Tulip has to stifle a giggle at the sight of him. As they draw close, Jesse lets go of her hand, letting her drift closer while he keeps back.

“This is what we got in stock,” says Charlene, letting go of Cassidy’s arm and turning to speak more to the three of them. “But we can do special orders if you got somethin’ particular in mind.”

“Very nice,” says Cassidy appreciatively. “These’re all high quality, yeah? Nothin’ like what’ll melt in your arse.”

“Oh lord no, honey, we only carry safe equipment,” exclaims Marie. “All this is non-porous and 100% silicone, of _course_. We also have exclusively water-based lubricants and all sorts of materials made from latex alternatives. In case of allergies, you know.”

“You’ve thought of everything,” says Cassidy, his attention wandering as he studies their options.

“I’m guessing it’ll be you wearin’ it, dear?” says Marie with a knowing glance at Tulip.

Tulip smiles, allowing herself a proud little lift of her chin. These are her kinda ladies. “That’s right.”

“Well, we got harnesses and such over there.” Marie points toward a smaller rack on the adjacent wall beside the fitting room, then shuffles over to Charlene, who seems to be more invested in whatever Cassidy chooses. Marie takes her arm, nudging her away. “Let’s leave ‘em to browse now, hon,” she chides lightly, and the two of them wander back toward the checkout. Over her shoulder, Marie adds, “Y’all just holler if you need anything.”

“Much obliged,” says Tulip. She glances back at Jesse, who’s still regarding the wall of dildos from what he seems to feel is a safe distance. She’s considering trying to talk him down again when Cassidy summons her attention right back.

“So what are you into, eh?” He scans the options thoughtfully. “Come a long way since I started out. You know the first vibrators had a bloody hand crank like an egg beater? Ooh, hey now—” His attention span as flighty as ever, he points out the selection on the top shelf. “These’re the ones what’ll stimulate you while you wear ‘em. Fun for the whole family.”

Tulip reserves comment for now, though that _does_ sound like just the thing. Good to get her kicks in the process of it; if she’s gonna fuck these boys as hard as they all want, they’re gonna be useless to her after.

“What d’you think, Jess?” Cassidy asks, but doesn’t wait for a reply, which is just as well, because none is forthcoming. Instead Cassidy continues browsing and settles on something that makes him stop short. “Ohh, fuck me, yes,” he murmurs, and snatches the display specimen right off the shelf. He whips around to face Tulip, holding the dildo up to her with wide excited eyes and a big stupid smile. “Look at this!” he demands gleefully, and she does. It’s impossible not to. It’s massive, bright turquoise, and shaped like a goddamn tentacle.

“No,” says Tulip flatly.

“Aw, what?” He frowns in immediate consternation. “C’mon. It’s a fuckin’ _tentacle_. That’s bloody brilliant.”

“An’ I’m the one who’s gotta wear it!” Tulip folds her arms and regards him with a firm stare. “I ain’t wearin’ that, and Jesse sure as _shit_ ain’t takin’ it. He’s new to this, Cass, we gotta start small.”

“That’s shite,” Cassidy protests. “I’ve been doin’ this for ages. I can take anything, and so can he, if he just believes in himself.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Jesse groans into his hand.

“Jesse, trust me, with enough lube and enough determination, an arse can take anything.”

“I’m not with them,” says Jesse loudly, turning on his heel and walking away.

“Oh come on, padre,” Cassidy protests, but Tulip intervenes, gingerly reaching out to take the tentacle from him and set it lightly back on the shelf.

“Jesse can work up to ‘anything,’” she says. “But I still get a say in what I’m puttin’ on.”

“Aye, all right,” Cassidy sighs. He doesn’t seem too terribly broken up over it, which is a small relief. Tulip doesn’t want to disappoint him, even if she does have lines to be drawn.

“‘Scuse me—” Marie reappears beside them, looking both tentative and enormously amused. “I couldn’t help overhearin’.”

Tulip glances at her, amused but not surprised—hard of hearing or no, they aren’t exactly subtle. Tulip looks past Marie and spots Jesse peering at her from over another rack of items, where he’s retreated to pretend to browse.

Jesse sees her looking, and grunts, “I can’t take you two anywhere.”

“You talkin’ to me, mister?” says Tulip innocently, and he frowns and looks moodily at the items in front of him.

Marie’s already leaning down to a lower shelf. “We do have a very nice simple item that we recommend for beginners,” she says, coming up with a weary huff, holding a little box. “This one’s not much bigger than a finger or two. Good for someone just startin’ out. Not too expensive, neither, so if you wanted to get a couple options, you know—for a variety of tastes…”

“I like the way you think, love,” says Cassidy, giving Marie a big charming grin. “Bet you’re popular with the local birds.”

“Oh, you know it, honey.” Marie chuckles and glances at Charlene, who smiles back fondly from behind the checkout counter.

Tulip takes the offered box and looks it over. The dildo is indeed very small and nonthreatening, just a smooth black curve with a flared base. Jesse’s gonna be afraid of just about anything at this point, but that’s a problem to be dealt with later. This’ll work for him.

“Yeah, that’ll do it,” she says with a grateful smile. She nods toward Cassidy but keeps her attention on Marie. “For him I was thinkin’ one of those up top, with the, uh… accessories.”

“Oh sure, we got plenty of those,” says Marie. “You lookin’ for something more realistic?”

“I think something simple,” says Tulip thoughtfully, “but colorful. I got a style to maintain. Like maybe somethin’ red.”

“Oh, I bet you look fine in red,” says Marie approvingly, peering up at the various choices. “Lemme see what we can find. Hold on, I gotta fetch the step stool.” She shuffles off on her mission before Tulip can offer to get it herself, which probably would’ve been unnecessary. They both seem like they’re getting by just fine for their ages.

“Mr. Cassidy,” Charlene calls, and beckons toward him. “C’mere, honey, I wanna show you somethin’.”

Cassidy wanders over agreeably, and Tulip turns to watch with curiosity. Jesse, she notes, is also definitely eavesdropping despite his attempts to hide himself away.

Charlene turns the computer monitor on the desk toward Cassidy so he can see. “If it’s novelty items you’re lookin’ for…” she says.

“Oh, I’m not choosy,” says Cassidy. “Whatever Tulip says goes.”

“That’s a good boy. I see why she likes you. But no harm in lookin’, is there?” Charlene grins a grin that Tulip can only consider devious and leans in a bit conspiratorially. “Have you ever heard of the website _Bad Dragon_?”

“I _haven’t_ ,” says Cassidy, instantly intrigued, leaning his elbows onto the counter so he can better see the computer screen.

“Well, they specialize in funky designs like that one you was lookin’ at. Sorta… well, I guess you’d consider ‘em monster cocks.” She types something in and Tulip watches as Cassidy’s face lights up, staring at the screen in mingled amazement and incredulity. “We don’t carry ‘em here but sometimes people order ‘em special. I just like lookin’, I think they look mighty fun.”

“They _do_ at that,” says Cassidy, sounding purely astonished. “Fuck me, look at them all.” He jolts as Charlene scrolls them down the page, giggling to herself, and points at the screen. “Bloody hell, look at the size of that one!”

“I thought you might like that!” she says, practically cackling.

Tulip’s eyes slide over to find Jesse’s, once again peering at her over the top of the shelf, both of them unified in bemusement and commitment to _not_ seeing whatever these ‘monster cocks’ are. She smiles wryly and shakes her head, and he smirks a little before ducking his attention back down.

“How’s this one look for you, dear?” In all the commotion, Tulip hadn’t noticed Marie’s return, and she turns to find her stepping down from the little stool with another box in hand. It’s a much larger dildo, smooth and simple and a deep rich scarlet.

“This is one of our most popular models,” says Marie. “It’s got a good firm interior but with a lot of give on the outside, so it’ll feel more comfortable. Comes with a little bullet vibrator,” she leans in to hand the box over, “which you can insert in the base. You just switch it on beforehand and it’ll make the whole experience a little more pleasant for you.” She steps back, letting Tulip study it herself. “Easy enough and comes highly recommended. There’s care and use instructions on the back there.”

Tulip flips the box over but doesn’t bother trying to parse all that text, especially not while she’s being watched. She’ll have one of the boys read it out later.

“I think that’ll do just fine,” she says.

Marie gives her a pleased smile and turns toward the display of harnesses. “Next you gonna need a one of these. We have some available for fitting.” She indicates one that just looks like a pair of boxer-briefs with a ring in front. “This one is probably the most comfortable option we have, nice for just tryin’ it out. If you want something a little more durable…”

She points out a few others, and Tulip studies each of them in turn. She’s feeling a little nervous now, thinking about when they get to whatever their next stop will be, doing this for the first time. Cassidy’s the expert here, but she’s the one in charge, for all intents and purposes, and she’s the one who’s gotta step up and do it. When he’d asked her about never trying this out with Jesse, well—it was true that he’d never asked, but she also feels like maybe she should’ve suggested it or something. She’s thought about it before, but she never thought Jesse would be interested—if that’s even the right word. He’s still struggling to fit into this brave new world. Having Cassidy in their lives, willing to say and do just about anything, is certainly one way to keep things exciting. She looks over her shoulder at him, still absorbed with Charlene and the monster cock website, and smiles softly to herself. It isn’t just the excitement; this could be the best thing that ever happened to Jesse, and to her, too, their relationship infiltrated by this walking catalyst for mayhem. So she’s nervous, she’s excited, but she’s determined, too. Both Jesse and Cassidy deserve the best after the night they had, and goddammit, she’s gonna step up and do this right.

In the end she selects a proper leather harness, figuring she might as well go the full mile, and also picks up a little box of latex-alternative gloves. With all this in hand, she approaches Charlene and Cassidy at the desk.

Cassidy looks up at what she’s got and smiles his approval before straightening up sharply. “Wait!” he blurts. “I almost forgot!” He turns and scans the shop before alighting on the very rack Jesse’s still hiding behind. “Read my mind, padre,” he says with a little grin as he trots over. Tulip follows him and sees that Jesse has, likely without really thinking about it, been studying a shelf full of leather restraints, handcuffs, bondage tape, and rope.

“I didn’t—” says Jesse awkwardly. “I was just standin’ here.”

“Right, right, just standing here enjoying the ambiance,” says Cassidy, surveying his choices before selecting a length of black silk rope. He offers it to Tulip, waggling it enticingly. “What d’you think, eh? Simple enough.”

“Now _that_ ,” she says, giving Jesse a knowing little smirk, “I know my way around.” He blushes furiously and looks away. No doubt he’s going through a whole rerun of last night’s episode, acting like a damn teenager who’s never played around before. Good thing it’s so endearing. She glances over the shelf. “You sure you don’t want somethin’ like these?” She points out some of the leather cuffs. “Probably more comfortable.”

“If Jesse wants ‘em,” says Cassidy with a shrug. “I don’t need comfort, love. The stronger the better.”

Tulip glances back at Jesse, who just avoids her gaze, no interest in debating restraints. He’s about had it, she thinks. Too much being out in the open. Well, that’s fine. It’ll take time, but he’ll get there.

“This’ll do it, then,” she says, and grabs another length of the same rope for good measure, handing it to Cassidy to carry. “Anything else?”

“Y’all gonna want a _lotta_ lube,” says Charlene idly from the desk, “if you don’t have it.”

Cassidy and Tulip blink at each other, both startled and halfway embarrassed they almost forgot something so basic and critical. Jesse takes it upon himself to walk away from them again, returning to the shelf near the entrance and grabbing what they need. He knows what he’s doing, if he can be bothered to show it.

“All right then,” says Tulip as they return to the checkout. She smiles down at their little collection. “Miss Charlene, Miss Marie. It’s been a real pleasure.”

“Oh, the real pleasure’s still comin’, honey,” says Charlene as she rings them up, Marie coming to stand beside her. “But it was sure nice to meet y’all.” She takes Tulip’s offered handful of crumpled bills without batting an eye, and Marie hands over their purchases in a tasteful black plastic bag. Tulip takes the bag before either of the boys can swipe it, gives the women a little smile and wave, and turns to lead the boys away.

“You ladies have a nice day now,” Cassidy calls cheerfully over his shoulder.

“Y’all better have one too,” says Marie as she waves them off.

“Oh,” says Tulip as she nears the entrance, smiling to herself, “we will.”

 

†

 

The hotel they come to on the outskirts of town is a hell of a good find, expensive and worth it. The clerk is considerably put off by Tulip’s request for one bed to three people, but a suitably hard stare puts a quick end to that, and if it helped snag them a nicer room, so much the better. And the room _is_ nice: small and cozy, a corner suite with clean, cream-colored carpeting that actually has some softness left to it, a small minimalist set of table and chairs tucked into the corner, a more vintage style of dresser with all the drawers intact, topped by a very modern TV they definitely won’t be using, and a pristine white-tile bathroom with an actual full-length mirror. None of which is to acknowledge the bed: massive, luxurious, dressed in soft white linens and taking up most of the little space, with a carved wood headboard and a straight-up stupid number of pillows. Tulip beams at the sight of it all. It’s perfect.

Well, it would be perfect if it weren’t for the bright swath of sunlight slashing directly across the mattress. Tulip’s smile slips immediately as she realizes: it’s a corner room, and both of the outer walls have windows with only useless sheer curtains hanging over them. With the way the light’s pouring in, they must have landed directly southwest. Cassidy groans as he steps in, and Tulip’s halfway to letting it get to her—this was so avoidable, could have made a specific request for low-light, heavy curtains, _something_ , but you didn’t think, you never think, do you, O’Hare?—before she bites down hard on that impulse. Fuck that and everyone, God _especially_ included, who’s ever put her there. Easy as this would have been to avoid, it’s easy enough to fix, too, and she doesn’t even need to deal with that sneering clerk again to do it. While Cassidy lurks sullenly in a corner, grumbling to the tune of _what kind of hotel room doesn’t come with heavy bloody curtains_ , she and Jesse perform some impromptu DIY, carefully draping both the bed’s comforter and all the coats they have between them over the curtain rods. It’s a little awkward, but it works. And just like that, vampire-friendly. Take that, curse.

Once they’re more or less settled in, new purchases pried open, instructions read, scene and safewords negotiated, Tulip’s feeling comfortable and confident once again. Jesse and Cassidy are now standing awkwardly apart, a mirror image of last night—Cassidy leaning against the little table, Jesse in the opposite corner beside the bed, slouched against the wall and faking a sort of surly nonchalance. Neither of them are quite able to look at the other as they wait for her to give the go, palpably tense with eagerness and nervousness in equal measure. Tulip surveys them for a moment, letting them twist, before she nods her head at Jesse.

“You,” she says, “take off your jacket, socks and shoes. Leave the rest on. Get on the bed, back against the headboard.”

He jerks hesitantly into action, doing as she says promptly and without a word. Once he’s in position, Tulip turns to Cassidy and says, “You. Undressed. Foot of the bed, on your knees. Hands behind your back.”

Cassidy flashes her a cheeky grin but manages not to say anything, which Tulip expects is a bit of a trial for him. They weren’t told to be silent, but that’s the mood Jesse started, and Cassidy seems willing to go with it. She watches him as he strips down and clambers onto the bed as instructed, facing Jesse, who stares back. She can see Jesse’s already uncomfortable, overheated in his all-black ensemble, his fingers curling into the bedsheets. Good. She wants him to sweat.

Tulip brings both lengths of rope with her as climbs onto the bed beside Cassidy. She studies him for a moment, his narrow shoulders rising and falling minutely with every anticipatory breath, and then gets to work. She’s no artist with this sort of thing, but she knows what works, and she takes her time with it, spider-webbing the rope across his pale, skinny chest, winding all around his torso, layered to distribute pressure evenly and provide herself with plenty of handholds. His arms she keeps pinned and pulled back, pulling harder than she normally would, trying to find the right balance for Cassidy’s heightened constitution. He’s well-behaved, for the most part, keeping as still as he can for her, but as she reinforces her work his focus starts to slip. He’s already getting aroused, his breath hitching every time she pulls the rope taut around him, and soon he’s squirming in earnest, trying to keep himself on lockdown with limited success.

“Hold _still_ ,” says Tulip sternly, and he manages, barely, to obey, his breathing heavy and audible. Tulip spares Jesse a quick glance, finds him staring at Cassidy with a dazed expression. She’s taken aback by it, how quiet and attentive he’s being, wanting so bad and so nervous about wanting. Tulip almost drops right out of character, she wants so much to reach out and grab him and drag him into it, something quick and messy, but—that’s not the plan. This is a special occasion, and they stick to the plan.

She flips her attention back to Cassidy, pausing to card her fingers indulgently through his hair, then leans in to let her breath ghost over the shell of his ear as she whispers, “This good for you?”

Permission to speak comes as a surprise to him, judging by the way the words just tumble out: “Oh, you can go tighter, love,” he says, all of it slurring together on one rapid exhalation.

This is already well past what she would consider the limits of safety, but with Cassidy, all bets are off. She makes a few adjustments and then pulls the ends even tighter, and Cassidy gasps softly as his arms are forced further behind his back, the rope now digging into skin. Tulip smiles and ties it off with a few extra loops around his wrists. She glances back at Jesse and catches a glimpse of him nervously wetting his lips.

“You like that?” she asks, intentionally unspecific about which of them she’s asking.

Satisfyingly, they answer simultaneously, a breathless, dreamy “Perfect,” from Cassidy and a quiet “Yeah,” from Jesse.

Tulip grins and gives Cassidy a little tug, which is all it takes for him to tip slowly backward into her arms, sprawling across her lap. It’s a bit of effort to support his weight, but it’s worth it, the way he just leans his head back, exposing his long throat; that lazy, blissful smile that spreads across his face. Tulip feels a little arch of arousal in her gut. She’s not sure she’s ever seen him so content.

“You tell me if you need me to cut you free,” she says, gentle but firm.

His eyes slit open, heavy-lidded as he gazes up at her. “Right, I will,” he murmurs without much conviction. Odds are he’ll be fine, but it’s important they at least lay that ground rule.

“Good boy,” says Tulip, and without any warning, she hooks her fingers into a length around his chest and pulls him up to her, taking him in a hard kiss. He falls into it as easy as ever, at once delicate and hungry, like he’s just barely holding himself back. She remembers last night, the way he’d looked at her, telling her he’d loved her since they met, and there’s that catch in her gut again, warmth and tightness spreading through her abdomen and between her legs. She’s turned on, yeah, but there’s guilt mixed in, too. The first time she slept with Cass she’d been using him, hadn’t even known him. She’d tried to tell herself for so long there was no regret, no lingering attachment, all for the sake of simplicity. She wishes they’d been able to work this shit out much, much sooner. There’s so much time they’ve lost, so much time she hasn’t spent kissing him and making Jesse watch.

Tulip cups her free hand around the back of his neck and darts her eyes to Jesse again. His whole body is tense with how bad he wants in, but he’s still bein’ good, keeping his hands at his sides, his fingers still curled tight against the sheets. She smirks and pulls away from the kiss, tipping Cassidy back up.

“I’m gonna go get set up,” she says briskly, and swings her legs off the bed, sliding down to the floor. “You boys play nice, but not _too_ nice. No one’s gettin’ off until I say so.”

She doesn’t bother to give them a backward glance as she gathers the necessary equipment and steps into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. She intends to take her time, just like last night; not because they have anything to discuss, but because she wants them on the edge of desperation.

She strips down and freshens up a bit, enjoying the cool tile beneath her feet, the warm white light, the absurd luxury of a full-length mirror. She slips the harness on first, getting it adjusted right before examining the dildo, switching on the vibrator and slotting it in firmly, and only then realizing she has to undo the harness again to actually get the damn thing on. It takes a few minutes of fussing to get it settled right, but soon there’s a bright red cock settled snugly between her legs and she’s staring at her reflection, not quite sure what to think. It’s a weird thing to see, weirder than she even knew to expect, but there’s also something deeply satisfying about it, the weight of it feeling a bit foreign but also grounding her, the color a fitting draw to the eye, the vibration tipping her very gently toward a distant brink, not much just standing here, but once there’s pressure and counterweight, they’ll be cooking with gas.

She slips on the same silk robe she wore last night—she prefers to wear a little something when she’s in charge, much as she _would_ like to see the look on Jesse’s face if she walked out there wearing nothing but a dick. She ties the sash loose around her waist and rests her hands on her hips, taking one final look. The nervousness she felt in the shop is still there, fighting to crawl its way back up her throat, but Jesse was right, of course: she looks good. More than that, she _feels_ good, and she’s gonna feel better in just a minute. That’s what matters. All those consistent residual doubts on her self-worth (and thanks _so_ much for the assist on that, God) can get fucked somewhere else today.

So deemed, she drapes a towel over her arm and saunters back into the room, having to adjust her gait a bit for the new appendage. She smiles broadly as both her boys freeze at the sight of her—Cassidy with his mouth hanging open, his face flushing, looking almost drunk with lust, while Jesse freezes more like something about to be roadkill. That’s fine, too. She knows him, and she knows that look. It’s surprise, and the surprise isn’t seeing her; it’s how much he wants it.

Well, he can wait his turn.

They’re about how she left them, Jesse against the headboard and Cassidy sort of kneeling awkwardly before him. A little closer, maybe. Hard to tell what they’d been up to, if anything, which is either a bit of a disappointment or an intriguing display of restraint on Jesse’s part. She’s not sure she could be so good with Cass all trussed up like that. Whether he was being good or being noncommittal is the question, but she’s not interested in asking right now. Later, maybe. _Maybe_.

Tulip strolls over to the table, selects a glove like she's going to a damn ball, and picks up the bottle of lube with a comically delicate touch, like it might be an expensive perfume. She turns to find them both watching her like a damn pair of cats. She just keeps smiling as she comes back over and climbs onto the bed behind Cassidy, nudging him aside so she can lay the towel out before them. He twitches like he wants to lean toward her, but stops himself. With the towel arranged, she gives him a considering look and reaches up to run her fingers slowly through his hair, tangling in the curls that are starting to get unruly as time without a haircut draws on. Have to do something about that, maybe, or maybe not. She tests the merits of Cass with longer hair by curling her fingers tight and giving a gentle tug.

His reaction is immediate and telling: his muscles tense and his breathing sharpens; he allows her to pull his head back slightly, receptive to even such a small motion. He’s extremely ready to go, staring up at her with his eyes darting between hers. Her smile turns indulgent, and she presses a little kiss to his forehead.

“You ready?” she says softly.

“Like you wouldn’t believe.” There's a flashed of crooked teeth as he grins around shallow breaths.

“Good.” She lets go of his hair and gives him a light shove, gently but unceremoniously knocking him onto his front. He curls over in the space between Jesse’s legs, and Jesse’s fingers dig tighter into the bedsheets, but neither of them make a move toward each other yet; they ain’t been told. Cassidy squirms a bit to re-settle himself and rests his head to the side, peering back at Tulip.

She's already pulled on the glove and emptied a generous portion of the lube into her hand and is in the process of slicking herself up, adopting a business-like air to hide her performance anxiety. “Now remember I ain't ever done this before,” she says sternly, just as she reaches down to get Cass prepped. He tenses and shifts, his breath stuttering out on a half-formed sound. He’s in no state to answer her, which was by design; Jesse startles her by answering instead.

“Don’t talk like that,” he says softly. She looks up at him, her hand still right up in Cassidy’s business, for the moment caught on Jesse’s intent expression. He gives her a little nod. “You got this.”

Between them there’s only the sound of Cassidy’s heavy breathing. Tulip lets herself relax just a bit, not with a smirk or a satisfied grin, but with the smallest hint of a natural smile, a little quiver of affection that up ‘til now only Jesse’s been allowed to see. She’s vaguely aware of Cass still looking at her, his breath now held.

Jesse meets her with a little smile of his own, and nods again, this time jutting his chin toward Cassidy. “Fuck him up,” he says.

Cassidy barely has time to let the air burst out of him before Tulip gets up on her knees and nudges against him, testing the proverbial waters. There’s resistance, and even with Cassidy openly begging for it on a stream of unintelligible syllables, she’s cautious, slow. The sensation of the vibrator becomes a little more pointed with something to brace against, and she resists the urge to rush. He’d probably argue that she can’t hurt him, just do it already, but, no. _Fuck him up_ means so many things. Sure, it could mean thrusting in and going for it, but there’s so much to be said for building tension, and he looks _awful_ good like this, bound up and writhing and moaning wetly against already-twisted bedsheets.

“ _Please_ ,” he whimpers.

“Mmhm,” she hums back. She pulls the glove off and discards it with a cavalier toss over her shoulder. She plants that hand on his back, the other now gripping at the ropes around his wrists, and she rocks her hips forward, agonizingly slow. She hopes everyone on this entire floor can hear the way he’s howling right now, barely even gotten started and he’s such a perfect mess. Finally there’s give; finally she doesn’t have to push, she just slides forward easy as anything, until her hips are almost flush with him; his voice goes out completely and for a moment she's frozen as if stunned by the situation, before she recovers and starts moving against him, fucking him slowly into the mattress. Just like that his voice is back, _lord_ is it back, damn but is he ever a loud little fucker. Each time she pushes in close he lets out some kind of satisfying gasp or yelp or outlandish string of curses, and each time he pushes back against her the little tremors from the vibrator hit deeper in her gut, agitating her toward more erratic movement. She keeps herself as steady as she can, a counterbalance to the squirming, twisting mess that is Cassidy. It’s clear now why he prefers rope. One minute struggling the way he does and his superhuman ass would’ve ruined his way right out of those nice cuffs.

“Fhh,” he grits out, straining to form words. “ _Fffuck_ , Tulip, harder.”

“Well, since you asked so nicely,” she says, too out of breath to sound as droll as she wanted. She hadn’t quite been prepared for what a goddamn workout this is. They’ve barely even begun and her muscles are already tense and straining, the vibrator making her legs weaker with every thrust. She sets her jaw stubbornly against it. She has a job and she's gonna goddamn do it right. She leans down over him, letting him bear the brunt of her weight, both hands still braced hard against him and barely managing to hold him in place as she jerks her hips forward roughly. He doesn't just moan with it, he _laughs_ , a borderline hysterical laugh of amazement and genuine delight. Tulip grins, fully and maybe a little stupidly, and adjusts her rhythm, going hard and fast and hungry. Her eyes lift from Cassidy, from the ropes digging taut into his arms, what _should_ be a bad sign and doesn't seem to matter to him, and instead she finds Jesse staring at her with an intensity that would pull her up short if she and Cass weren't so synchronized by now. She can see the beads of sweat, the flush of his cheeks, the white of his knuckles as he clings to the sheets like a lifeline. She can see, too, the tight stretch of fabric between his legs, the bulge of his erection, and she smirks broadly at him, teeth bared.

Cassidy lurches forward as she thrusts even harder, and he also seems to notice Jesse's tenuous state, how palpably, how _badly_ he wants in.

“Everything you imagined, padre?” he gasps, still half-laughing. He lets Tulip push him forward again, using the momentum to get his head between Jesse's legs, mouthing at him through his trousers. Jesse lets out a startled and frankly hilarious yelp, twitching into reflexive action, his legs almost closing around Cassidy's head and his hands going to grip his hair.

Tulip ought to put a stop to it. Jesse's turn is still coming. But Cassidy's too sloppy to get him off now, especially while he's still clothed, and the frantic meltdown Jesse is barely staving off is too good to interrupt. She continues fucking Cass with a vengeance, each time pressing him harder against Jesse, forcing muffled little moans and grunts out of both of them. Playing them against each other, literally. She's starting to get a little desperate herself, thrusting slower and grinding against Cassidy's pale ass as the vibrator starts to take over. Cassidy's relentless whimpering is reaching an intense pitch; he's close. Tulip takes a stabilizing breath and shoves into him once more, as far as she can go, slow and with hard intent. He shudders and breathes out in one hot, heavy gasp as he comes all over the well-placed towel.

Jesse keeps his fingers curled tight in Cassidy's hair, intentionally or instinctively, holding him in place for a moment. Tulip keeps herself braced tautly against Cass until the last quivering wave of orgasm passes over her and she collapses down on top of him. For a moment they just breathe together, Tulip still inside him, Jesse just staring at them both.

“You know, for a first timer, you're a fuckin' natural,” says Cassidy breathily. “I haven't been fucked like that since 1983.”

“You expect me to believe that?” says Tulip, equally breathless, glancing at him with an eyebrow raised.

“I do, thank you very much. I’ve a very good memory for these things, and I’ve not been fucked like that, with a strap-on, mind you, since 1983.” He lets out a short guffaw, twisting around to look back at her. “Well, unless we’re counting all those orgies in the 90s. All the rage back then. But that was all so impersonal.”

“You been hangin' out with the wrong types of people, Cass,” says Tulip, pushing herself back up with a wince. She extricates herself gingerly and reaches into the harness, trying awkwardly to switch the vibrator off.

“Bloody tell me about it.” Cassidy shifts in what might be an attempt to sit up, but he doesn't make it, whether because he's too wrecked, too tied up, or too apathetic; instead he just rolls onto his side and looks lazily up at Jesse. “What d'you say, padre? Ready to join us?”

“That was,” says Jesse, blinking like he's coming out of a fog, looking slowly at Tulip, “the sexiest goddamn thing you've ever done.”

“Oh,” Tulip snorts and waves him off. “Nah. C'mon.”

“I'm serious.”

“You say that any time I do somethin’ different.”

“Aye, and I bet he's right every time,” says Cassidy with a little grin. “Hey, I don't mean to be a bother, but could somebody—”

“I got it,” says Jesse hurriedly, leaning down to untie him.

“Babe, hand me the other dick,” says Tulip as she manages to extract both the vibrator and the dildo. She’s exhausted, and trying not to show it. It had to happen this way, doing Cassidy first, but having the vibrator on for her first round was also something of a tactical error. She wants, more than anything, to fuck Jesse right now, but she also wants to take a five hour nap.

The smaller dildo has been left on the end table within Jesse’s reach, and he looks at it, his hands going still in the midst of setting Cassidy loose. He hesitates, like she asked for something complicated.

“Oh c’mon, Jesse, it ain’t gonna bite you,” she says, halfway between amused and impatient. “It’s gonna be right up _in_ you in a minute, get comfortable with it.”

“I’m not—” Jesse protests, but he knows there’s no comeback to that, so he grabs it around the shaft with sullen confidence and and tosses it to her before returning to work on Cass, who is snickering to himself.

“You’re gonna love it,” says Cassidy, sounding like he might be about to drift right off. “She’s gonna fuck you right up.”

“Yeah,” Jesse glances up at Tulip as he works on undoing her knots, “I know she is.” He looks back down and frowns, peeling the ropes off like he’s disarming a bomb. “You’re a goddamn mess.”

“Bloody right I am.”

Tulip smirks and pulls the towel out from under Cass, balling it up. “I'll get you a washcloth.” She slides off the bed and heads back to the bathroom on shaky legs, leaves the towel on the floor and the used dildo by the sink. She grabs a fresh towel, wets a washcloth with some warm water, and leans heavily on the counter for a minute. She can hear the boys murmuring to each other, periodic muffled intimacy, and a soft smile spreads across her face. This feels good. For the first time since—since, fuck, before she went back to Annville, things feel like they’ve slotted into place. Even with Jesse’s family and the Grail both still posing some unknown threat. Even with the shit they still haven’t sorted out.

Maybe she doesn’t want to sort it. Jesse and Cassidy had a night full of revelations, managed to resolve so much of the shit stirred between them. It was worth forcing it to happen, and now they’re out there, talking quietly without needing a damn chaperone, caring about each other like they care about her. They probably don’t realize there’s anything else to talk about. Of course they don’t, the most unobservant man in the world and the most distractable one. From their perspective, she died and came back and everything worked out, to a degree. She can’t blame them for not wanting to dwell on that. It’s not like she’s in a hurry to bring it up. The last thing she needs is for them to pity her or worry about her. What’s that gonna do? She got what she needed: she got Jesse, she got Cass, she got them _out_ , even if it was not the clean getaway she wanted. She doesn’t need to dwell on the remembered agony of taking that bullet, or the fear of dying, or the process of waking up, or the deal that was made. Fuck dying. Fuck the bitch who shot her. Especially and most of all, fuck God.

She gets herself set up with the smaller dildo and steps back out. Cassidy is now freed, the rope lying coiled beside him; his skin is lined red, but he looks downright cozy, smiling sleepily at the sight of her. Jesse is still half-curled over him, and he looks up at her like a nervous, excited dog.

She’s still smiling, and maybe it’s strange, her just standing there smiling at them. Maybe there’s something left of her moment in the bathroom, showing on the outside, something Cassidy happens to catch, because his expression wavers a little.

“You all right, love?” he says.

Jesse glances at him, then back at her, curious and awake to the idea that she might not be okay.

She didn’t think she was telegraphing anything but contentedness, but it’s all right that he asked; it’s nice, even. She just keeps smiling. “I’m good,” she says, and means it. “I’m great.” She looks over the both of them. “I love you guys.”

Cassidy grins stupidly, satisfied by the answer and blushing a little. She tosses him the washcloth, and he catches it and gives himself a haphazard cleaning. Jesse smiles back at her, a real nice smile she doesn’t get to see on him too often.

“What?” she asks with a defensiveness belying how much she enjoys seeing him happy.

“Awful damn romantic,” he says. “Standin’ there with your dick out.”

“Mmhm.” She does a little pose for him, then goes to get herself a fresh glove. “I knew you’d warm up to it.”

She climbs back onto the bed, nudging Cassidy out of the way as she lays down the new towel, setting the glove and lube aside for now.

“Where d’you want me?” says Cassidy sleepily.

“You get behind Jesse,” she says. “I want him just like this.” She smiles at Jesse, prim and sweet. “I want you lookin’ at me while I fuck you.”

Jesse’s not expecting that, and it shows in the slight widening of his eyes, the immediately aborted response. He’s not about to object; it’s more like he hadn’t actually considered the positioning until just now. She watches him swallow, his mouth obviously too dry for it.

“Ooh,” says Cassidy with distinct approval, and without meeting much resistance, he pulls Jesse forward and situates himself in his place, sprawling against the headboard and the pillows. He crosses his legs, settles one of the pillows into his lap. “Here, you lean on me, padre. Prop yourself up, like.”

It takes a some doing, all of them clumsy and awkward, but they get Jesse arranged right, Cass folded around him from behind, Tulip leaning over them both as she unbuttons Jesse’s shirt. The room is starkly quiet now, shell-shocked after all the noise of the first endeavor, and their collective energy has shifted into something intimate and close. It’s a little strange, but Tulip embraces it, periodically flicking her eyes up to meet Jesse’s, holding his gaze. Reaching around him, Cassidy attempts to assist the unbuttoning with lazy, largely unhelpful movements. When the shirt finally comes open, Tulip grabs a handful of Jesse’s collar and drags him in for a kiss, which he meets voraciously, gripping onto her arms. Cassidy slides his hands over Jesse’s chest, seeming content to just feel him up.

Tulip lets her hands wander down over Cassidy’s and to the fly of Jesse’s trousers, unbuttoning and unzipping slowly, easing them down around his hips while he adjusts to accommodate her. Cassidy makes a soft hum of approval and reaches down himself, pushing Jesse’s briefs down and wrapping a hand around his hardening cock. Jesse’s breath catches in his throat as he shifts slowly between them, still very focused on kissing Tulip even as Cassidy strokes him and buries his face in the curve between his neck and shoulder.

Tulip grins against Jesse’s mouth and pulls back to strip his trousers and briefs the rest of the way off, tossing them aside. “All right,” she says, and pulls on her glove. “You ready?”

“Oh,” says Jesse with a solidly unconvincing effort to sound casual, still shifting and rocking under Cassidy’s ministrations, “yeah.”

Tulip pours some lube into her gloved hand and rubs it between her fingers, trying to warm it up a bit. Cassidy lets go of Jesse’s cock, much to his mild distress, and instead rests his hands against Jesse’s chest and thigh, holding him gently. Jesse stares at Tulip, breathing quick and shallow as she reaches down between his legs and prods gingerly at him.

His breath comes in on a sharp hiss, and Cassidy responds with and immediately soothing, “Hey now padre, just relax. Don’t push back. You gotta let her in.”

It’s a little surprising, hearing him take on this calming, mentoring tone, but Tulip feels a swell of warmth and gratitude over it. Cassidy massages Jesse’s thigh with slow, gentle movements, and Jesse, a little taken aback by the situation, nonetheless does as he’s told, forcing his muscles to relax by degrees.

Tulip presses her finger against him, slow and careful, while he shudders and struggles to accept the sensation; there’s a definite resistance until, suddenly, there isn’t, and she’s able to slide her finger all the way in, and Jesse lets out a frantic, startled gasp.

“Aye, that’s it,” says Cassidy with a grin. “You all right, there? Feels good, yeah?”

“I—” Jesse stares at Tulip, his face flushed and his eye wide. “Yeah.”

Tulip smiles and lets her finger curl just a little, and she’s rewarded with the loudest and most strained noise she’s ever had the pleasure of inducing from Jesse. His head rocks back and Cassidy wraps his arm around him tighter, chuckling lightly.

“Jesus Christ,” Jesse blurts, gripping at the sheets, moving helplessly against her hand.

“See?” says Cassidy. “Told you you were missin’ out.”

“Damn, you are _tight_ ,” Tulip remarks, rather enjoying the chance to actually feel what this is like, and enjoying even more the look on Jesse’s face when she says it.

“I bet he is,” says Cassidy in a low, delighted voice.

“Fuck—” Jesse grits out. “C—C’mon, Tulip, I—I’m ready.”

“Mm?” She tilts her head innocently, at the same time curling her finger again, moving it just a little deeper inside him and drawing out what is almost a scream. “You want the upgrade?”

“I don’t care,” says Jesse, trembling and already coming apart at the seams. “Whatever you got to fuck me with, do it.”

“All right, all right,” she says, laughing at his prompt and complete deterioration. “I’m gonna pull out now, okay?”

“Gonna feel weird,” Cass volunteers helpfully. “Gonna feel like you’re shitting.”

Tulip and Jesse both go instantly still, staring at him with twinned expressions of incredulity.

“What?” he demands. “That’s what it feels like!”

Jesse looks at Tulip but has no words to offer. She just shrugs, fair enough, she supposes, and extricates herself. Jesse grunts, lifting his hips a little, looking somewhere between disgruntled and bereft.

“Yeah, okay,” he says after a reluctant pause, “that is what it feels like.”

“ _Yeah_ ,” says Cassidy with great vindication.

“I’m _so_ glad,” sighs Tulip. She busies herself lubing up the dildo before pulling off the glove and tossing it aside. “Okay, we’re doin’ this again. Do like Cass said, just relax.”

“I got it,” says Jesse, his impatience not quite able to conceal the little bit of trepidation that’s still creeping out.

She gives him a look, but doesn’t feel like belaboring the point. She positions herself carefully, glancing at him with every twitch and breathless noise he makes, at Cassidy still holding him and grounding him. There’s resistance again, and he has to work to let it go again, but it’s easier this time, he’s more eager, more willing. She keeps her eyes on Jesse as she slides into him, watching intently as another shudder passes through him and a raw moan wrenches out of him, his eyes shut tight.

“Look at me,” she says, a quiet command he’s quick to obey. His lips are parted, his eyes wide and dark, his skin flushed and slick with sweat. She grips onto his legs to brace herself and starts thrusting slowly into him, and he meets her naturally, grinding back against her with little shivering breaths. Cassidy grips onto him and goes back to mouthing at his neck, his hand straying back to Jesse’s cock. Jesse tenses and leans his full weight back against Cassidy, who takes it easily and shoots Tulip a pleased grin.

Tulip smiles back at both of them, enjoying the easy rhythm she and Jesse have fallen back into; he’s every bit as desperate as Cassidy was, but more contained, and she’s committed to taking her time with him, drawing him out slow.

“You look,” Jesse says between heavy breaths, “so fucking good.”

“Doesn’t she just,” murmurs Cassidy, muffled against his skin.

She’s too focused on keeping this up to respond, but she plants one of her hands against his taut stomach, dragging her nails lightly down him and eliciting a satisfying little whimper. She can see Cassidy working to match her rhythm, both of them edging Jesse toward the brink in unison. God they look good like this.

“Fuck,” Jesse gasps as she quickens her pace a little more, thrusts in a little harder, testing the waters. “Oh, _fuck_ , yes—” Words devolve into guttural, senseless begging, his hands grasping at Cassidy to keep himself from collapsing into a pile. This isn’t anything like the measured intensity or the wild fervor he usually brings to sex, it’s something new, leaving him wrecked like he’s never been wrecked before. Struggling to keep herself upright against exhaustion and aching muscles, Tulip brings it up another notch, fucking him in earnest, nodding distractedly at Cassidy, who’s already matching her pace again. Jesse writhes between him as much as he can, a frantic, breathless mess, the trepidation, the self-consciousness, all of it evaporated in the outright heat of the moment.

“You gonna come for us, baby?” she says softly, her voice trembling a little from the effort.

“Godfucking _damn_ ,” is all Jesse manages to answer, his back arching. Cassidy squeezes his hand around him and Tulip presses fully into him and stays there, suspending him for a moment until his yell becomes noiseless and he comes across Cassidy’s hand and his own chest.

It’s hard not to let herself crumple immediately. She holds herself there for a moment, letting him come down shakily, before she pulls out slowly. Cassidy eases him down onto his back and half-tumbles off the bed, wandering deer-legged into the bathroom to get them another washcloth. He comes back, looking dazed and deeply satisfied, and starts cleaning Jesse off himself.

“You don’t have to…” Jesse mumbles.

“Shove it,” says Cass gently. “Just lemme do it.”

Tulip unbuckles the harness and squirms out of it, leaving it on the floor for now, too tired to deal with it properly. She sits on the bed, taking a moment to catch her breath, waiting for Cassidy to finish up.

“Budge over,” she says, and as soon as he makes room, she slumps down directly in between them, curling up against Jesse and reaching blindly back to pull Cassidy in. Jesse immediately latches onto her, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her forehead, her hair, whatever he can reach.

“That good?” she says after he settles down a bit.

“ _Fuck_ ,” he breathes.

“I’m very proud of you both,” says Cassidy, his voice sluggish like he might already be half-asleep. “Fine upstanding work, that. Expanding your horizons. So.” He prods Tulip lightly in the shoulder. “How do you feel about your new talent, then? Because it bloody well is a talent.”

“I think I got a fine career ahead of me,” says Tulip with a little stretch.

“I think you’re right,” says Jesse, his eyes closed. “We gotta do that again.”

“ _Later_. I’m fuckin’ exhausted.” She shifts around, getting more comfortable. “I feel like I just ran a damn marathon.”

“You basically fuckin’ did,” says Cassidy.

“It’s a goddamn workout,” says Jesse. “Why do you think I always like you on top?”

“Oh, _that’s_ why?” She gives him a playfully affronted look. “Here I assumed it was ‘cause I’m in charge.”

“Well.” He shrugs. “Yeah.”

“Mm.” Cassidy goes quiet, and Tulip thinks he really has fallen asleep until he says, “We should get dinner. To celebrate.”

“Oh yeah?” says Tulip, twisting around to look at him. “What’re we celebratin’?”

“Well, your new career, of course. And Jesse’s grand discovery of the prostate. If there was ever an occasion for fine dining.” Cassidy snorts. “Y’know, somewhere with candles, wine… all those little plates with like three bloody pieces of food on ‘em. Waiters with those little aprons, like.”

Tulip smirks at the idea of the three of them out somewhere fancy. Tempting, but… “We spent over three hundred dollars on sex toys today.”

“So?”

“So, funds are running a little low.”

Cassidy frowns, making a vague swatting motion. “So we’ll rob a bank, when’s that ever been a problem for us?”

Tulip laughs outright. Now _that’s_ a plan she can get behind. “You sure know how to keep a girl happy,” she says, nestling in more cozily between them. He hums in response, and that seems to be that. “Yeah, we should do that,” she declares. “Dinner and a robbery. Sounds nice.”

“We’ll get right on that,” murmurs Jesse, fully and evidently staying put.

“Yup,” says Tulip. “Any minute now.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> -To the best of my knowledge, everything discussed about southern state sex laws is true. It's surprisingly hard to research this stuff and get exact, up-to-date information. Or maybe that's not surprising at all. At the very least, consensual oral sex between any genders is still technically illegal in many states, but a 2003 Supreme Court ruling made this unconstitutional, so it's one of the many, many weird "in the books but with a sticky note on it" kinds of laws. I'm sure you all came here for the layman civics lesson, the cold shower of fanfic end notes.
> 
> -Bad Dragon is a very real website for people of very specific tastes and it is so very extremely NSFW. If you are squeamish about such things you will want to avoid it, but for the curious... I mean, it's pretty much as described. I'm so sorry and/or you're welcome.


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